Design Midlands is the lead organisation, working with colleagues in the Design Network, which has been awarded the contract to develop a set of modules on vision training for growth and place strategies across England.
This training aims to build capacity within planning teams and combined authorities to effectively respond to the emerging demands of Strategic Development Strategies (SDS) and the potential New Town developments. The aim is to promote a holistic, systemic and visionary approach to places, employing high-quality design and placemaking principles.
Julie Tanner, CEO of Design Midlands said: “Our core business is to support the planning process and local plans with a strong team of Placemaking and Urban Design professionals. We knew we were uniquely placed to develop this training and to set the right principles for the development of towns and cities, which are fit for the future.”
We knew we were uniquely placed to develop this training and to set the right principles for the development of towns and cities, which are fit for the future
Instigated by Design Yorkshire, when fellow Design Network members explored the objectives of PAS, it was clear that as a team it is in the unique position to offer a training approach that could respond to local and regional specificity and scale this nationally to ensure a consistent definition and understanding of placemaking principles.
The contract has been awarded by the Planning Advisory Service (PAS), who considered the proposal by the Design Network was: “a very strong bid with a strong team of individuals involved, good experience of delivery in place-based provisions and strategic geography placemaking, and a strong recognition of the varying position of different LPAs and CA groups across the regions.”
The outcome of the training will be placemaking principles embedded from the outset within strategic objectives for housing and economic growth, climate resilience, nature recovery and integrated infrastructure. The target audiences for the training are planners, strategic policy officers and elected members who work in and with local and regional planning contexts and are working on growth plans.